Christopher Hitchens diagnosed with cancer

[Mr Anderson]

They debated each other once. Hitch fucking owned him.

That other cunt is on The Big Questions from time to time. I like torturing myself of a Sunday morning with that religious wankery.

Do you shout at the TV?

[Geoff]

bella posted this on facebook, but it deserves to be here as well, I think:

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010 ... he_day.php

Why, oh why do I despise Christianity so much? Look to George Berkin to understand why. And if you can't understand, you're probably one of those Christians.

He's got a long article up arguing that God is being good to Christopher Hitchens by afflicting him with a lingering disease, because it will give him a chance to repent. And then it suggests that everyone pray for a deathbed conversion. Hallelujah.

First, Hitchens is not dead. He has cancer. There's a difference. Learn it, or next time I see you I'm going to point out that you're aging and start talking about you in the past tense, with lots of pitying looks.

Second, your god is clearly a dick, and so are you. I don't see why you're worshipping him, except that dicks seem to like other dicks an awful lot. Fortunately, your god is entirely imaginary, so I can't get pissed off at him, but you are supposedly a civilized and rational human being, so I do get to regard you with deserved contempt.

Third, I have enough respect for Hitchens' integrity and personal courage that even if he were on his deathbed, hopefully many, many years from now, I'd expect him to remain true to his principles…unless he were dying of Alzheimer's disease, or major head trauma. Stop begging him to be weak and cowardly.

Most annoyingly of all, Berkin is addressing Hitchens and writes, "But now, let's talk, one grownup to another." Berkin, you condescending twit, someone is excluded from the conversation by that restriction, and it isn't the guy who refuses to believe in magic wish fulfillment fantasies involving a dead charlatan who'll poof you into a celestial candyland if you believe in a woman cursing humankind for eternity by eating bad fruit.

God is not great. But his followers are worse.

[Tigger]

That ^ +1

[A Monkey Shaved]

Count me in as not one of those delusional theists or fundies gloating that their prayers have been answered.

[Ex~]

I was amazed he'd lived this long, have you seen the man at it? He's been asking for it for years, I honestly have no sympathies whatsoever for the man. That being said, I am sad for myself, because this means I probably won't be able to enjoy as many of his works as I might have would he live to write them.

Oh well. Here's to Hitch, best of luck! (<-- scotch, not OJ)

[Animavore]

Count me in as not one of those delusional theists or fundies gloating that their prayers have been answered.

Joke?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

This is why you shouldn't smoke kids.

Yeah, they should be pickled in brine and served with cheese.

[Mr Anderson]

Count me in as not one of those delusional theists or fundies gloating that their prayers have been answered.

Joke?

I think you missed a word like I did the first time I read it.

[Ronja]

bella posted this on facebook, but it deserves to be here as well, I think:

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010 ... he_day.php

Definitely. I also recommend as a suitable retort to conversion rumors Daniel Dennett's reflections about his own atheism, which he wrote directly after having emergency heart surgery in 2006:

http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/dennett ... index.html

[Animavore]

Count me in as not one of those delusional theists or fundies gloating that their prayers have been answered.

Joke?

I think you missed a word like I did the first time I read it.

Ah.

[Pappa]

bella posted this on facebook, but it deserves to be here as well, I think:

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010 ... he_day.php

"...your god is clearly a dick, and so are you."

[Rum]

Here's the great man at his best. Short and to the point too!

[maiforpeace]

Topic of Cancer - Hitch writes about his cancer journey.



http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/featu ... ens-201009

[Animavore]

Such a realistic and humble outlook.

[Trolldor]

Hitch.